


red like roses (TRMX)

by grancenturio



Series: freewriting exercises [1]
Category: The Caligula Effect (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 01:00:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16566554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grancenturio/pseuds/grancenturio
Summary: A chance meeting at the florist's.





	red like roses (TRMX)

**Author's Note:**

> done as an exercise in freewriting, so minimal editing has gone into this. thanks caligula discord for the prompt

“Roses, huh? That’s one lucky boy you’re meeting,” the florist girl quips as she begins to assemble the flowers into a bouquet.

“A girl, actually,” Ayana corrects. “And really, I’m the one who’s lucky here. The president is… she’s so far out of my league I would’ve never thought I stood a chance. But, well, she suddenly asked me to hang out after club activities one day last week, and then we went for dinner, and one thing led to another, and…”

The florist girl lets out an amused whistle at that. “Whoa, you’re blushing. You’ve really got it bad for that girl.”

The chime of the shop door opening saves Ayana from having to think of any further response than her embarrassed giggle.

“Excuse me. I’d like the usual… ah.”

Buried in fluffy pink clouds as her thoughts are, it takes a moment for Ayana to register that Thorn’s the one standing in the doorway and staring at her. Her eyes flick towards the bouquet of roses the florist girl’s almost done putting together, then back towards Ayana.

Ayana, for her part, tenses up immediately, but Thorn only sighs and steps fully into the shop. Letting the door swing shut behind her, she takes a seat on a stool opposite Ayana, her gaze straying around the assortment of flowers on display. “I’m not in the mood to fight today. Unless you want to, perhaps.”

Ayana says nothing, keeping her eyes narrowed at Thorn. The florist girl, perhaps sensing the tension, quickly hurries out from behind the counter, pressing a large bouquet into Ayana’s arms. “Alright, here’s your roses!” Turning to Thorn, she continues, “And for you, the usual, correct?”

“Hm…” Thorn’s gaze is fixed thoughtfully on Ayana’s bouquet. “Perhaps a mixture of lilies and roses, this time.”

 _Lilies…?_ Ayana blinks, a brief flash of memory coming to the front of her mind. Her very own self, so many years ago, laying those same flowers into Himari’s casket… “Did you also…?” she begins to ask, without thinking.

“It’s none of your business,” Thorn replies smoothly, quickly. _Too_ quickly.

Another awkward, tense silence follows.

“...I’m sorry,” Ayana finally says, hugging her bouquet closer and turning to leave. She’s almost out the door when she hears Thorn say something faintly. “I’m sorry?” she asks, craning her head to peer back in.

“I said, whoever that’s for.” Thorn nods at the roses Ayana’s clutching. “Treasure them while you can.”

“Mmhm!” Ayana gives a small nod in reply. As she walks down the street, the thought briefly crosses her mind that she should tell the other club members, or at least Miyuki, about this encounter. Thorn is their enemy, after all.

But she files that thought away almost as soon as it comes. It feels wrong, in a way. And Thorn _had_ said that she wasn’t going to fight them today, anyway.

Her phone helpfully goes off at that moment with a message from Miyuki, and Ayana decides to just let this incident pass. For now, she’s got a date to focus on.

**Author's Note:**

> **DELETED SCENE**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Thorn’s almost out of the shop when an idea strikes her.
> 
> “One more thing,” she says to the florist. “I’d like to place an order for some poison ivy. I’ll leave you my address to deliver it to.”
> 
> The florist seems to freeze for a moment. Thorn’s used to this; it’s what happens when someone tries to return a result outside of the usual NPC protocols and the AI needs to quickly recalculate.
> 
> “Okay!” the florist cheerfully answers a moment later, jerking back into motion. “Just write your address down, and I’ll get it to you!”
> 
> Thorn allows herself a rare smile as she jots the address of Shogo’s apartment down onto the order form.


End file.
